SBA Amends Disaster Declaration; Disaster Assistance Now Available to Private Nonprofit Organizations in Six Additional Counties

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 4 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release:

Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to certain private nonprofit organizations in the additional counties of Alameda, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Inyo, Modoc and Mono following the amendment to President Trump's March 16, 2017, major disaster declaration for Public Assistance as a result of severe winter storms, flooding and mudslides that occurred Jan. 18-23, 2017, announced Administrator Linda McMahon of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Private nonprofits that provide essential services of a governmental nature are eligible for assistance.

SBA disaster assistance is available in Alameda, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mendocino, Modoc, Mono, Napa, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Trinity, Tuolumne and Yolo counties.

"Private nonprofit organizations should contact Chief Tamara Scott of the Proclamation and Recovery Planning Division at the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services by calling (916) 845-8245 or emailing [email protected] (link sends e-mail) to obtain additional information," said Director Tanya N. Garfield of SBA's Disaster Field Operations Center-West. "Private nonprofits will need to provide information about their organization to the Federal Emergency Management Agency so they can determine if the private nonprofit provides an "essential governmental service" and is a "critical facility" as defined by law. If so, FEMA may provide the private nonprofit with a Public Assistance grant for their eligible costs. If not, FEMA may refer the private nonprofit to SBA for disaster loan assistance.

SBA may lend private nonprofits up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

For certain private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA also offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster's impact. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the private nonprofit suffered any property damage.

The interest rate is 2.5 percent with terms up to 30 years. The filing deadline to return applications for property damage is May 15, 2017. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Dec. 18, 2017.

Applicants may apply online using SBA's secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA's Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955 or emailing [email protected]. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call (800) 877-8339. For more disaster assistance information or to download applications, visit https://www.sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.